neigh

[ ney ]

/ neɪ /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR neigh ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used without object)

to utter the cry of a horse; whinny.

noun

the cry of a horse; whinny.

RELATED WORDS

yell, hee-haw

Nearby words

Origin of neigh

before 1000; Middle English ney(gh)en, Old English hnǣgan, cognate with Middle Dutch neyen, Old Saxon hnēgian, Middle High German nēgen, Old High German hneigen, Old Norse hneggja; akin to Old Saxon hnechian; Middle Dutch nighen, Middle Low German nigen, Middle High German nyhen; and, with intrusion in the initial, Old Norse gneggja, Norwegian kneggja. See nag²

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for neigh

But there is no question that he will bring a compelling case, neigh on to invincible.
Even Blago Is Presumed Innocent|Scott Turow|December 22, 2008|DAILY BEAST
Everything is in confusion for Drona's having only heard the neigh of (Arjuna's) steeds.
The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa Bk. 4|Kisari Mohan Ganguli
Upon this announcement Neigh looked at poor Chickerel as if he saw through him into the wall.
The Hand of Ethelberta|Thomas Hardy
Never would I let him triumph over me—wear the watch, hang the chain over his waistcoat, and neigh with joy.
Lippincott's Magazine of Popular Literature and Science, Vol. XVII. No. 101. May, 1876.|Various

Suddenly, and without any intimation of what he intended to do, the horse began to neigh.
A Boy Trooper With Sheridan|Stanton P. Allen
Others were running to and fro, aimlessly to all appearance, and the horses had begun to neigh.
The Disputed V.C.|Frederick P. Gibbon

British Dictionary definitions for neigh

neigh

/ (neɪ) /

noun

the high-pitched cry of a horse; whinny

verb

(intr) to make a neigh or a similar noise

(tr) to utter with a sound like a neigh

Word Origin for neigh

Old English hnǣgan; related to Old Saxon hnēgian

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for neigh

neigh

Old English hnægan "to neigh," probably of imitative origin (cf. Old Norse gneggja, Middle High German negen, French hennir, Japanese inanaki). Related: Neighed; neighing. As a noun from 1510s.